The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1887-07-14

s
well traced history is that If the "Juke' family
Of View York state. This interesting record
was the work Of Richard J.. Dugdale,
member n the Prison Reform association
IT, learned more OF Jess Of the life history
of 10g descendants ~ the Juse sisters, and
presents a dcplomble and appalling array
II facts and figures. He traced this
wret .hed family through six generations, and
carefully calculates the cost % the COM
uuuitIes infested by the h'th and sixth
generations 40 over Sl,5JO,0lO, not 20 take
into consideration the cntaiment Of crime,
misery aud pauperism OF survivor m sue
ccelng generations, and incurabie disease
iusa ny aud idi0Cv, a. a necessary sequence
of adj this debauchery. Eighty Of the Jukes
were mi0'ic or insane. The crimes Of the
family covered everything IN the almost end
loss variety known 20 the law. j th Martha
and Ada Juke were women Of feeble minds,
Int they loft a record, infamous though IL he,
a. "motheIs Of criminals"
The census shows upwards Of 5000 feeble
minded and idiotic persons in tie United
States. women in due ratio predOminating
The Juke sisters are the prototypes Of like
creatures % De found ia jaiis and poor houses
I'm every state in the Union. The result Is
seen. but the s0urce Is not considered Prisons
and asyums multiply, and except with the
few the causes and prevention Of crime, In
sanity and idiocy receive little attention or
thought
There are TWO views taken by the world in
considering the defective CLASSES One Is
general disregard Of the misery attending un-
terminates. in the hope and belief that the
doctrine of the survival Of the httct
will ultimately wipe them ont. The uopO-
sitiou. too, % destroy the helpless and
incompetent young is one that cannot be
tolerated Iv civilized beings That course i
left 10 savaees and the brute creation. The
second view is that Of paternal government
fordof.cGves. DR. Kerlin. IN discussing the
onasfiou Of tho government dealing with the
wants and rights Of the individual, says:
"In our present development, government
where best for the common veal, should as
sume tine relation Of parent 70 It's subject;
licensing here and refusing there; correcting
am evil az one point or absolutely abating
that evil al another. giving personal liberty
where self reliance proves its rshtiui claim;
alr,leing personal liberty where it, exercise
l. attended with crusade against the rights
If fine uoaceable. whether in the spolation Of
fine house breaker or house burner in the
tyranny and brutality Of the inebrates home,
on In the corruption Of the very springs Of
life I'm the prostitution Of the brothel"
nr Powell. Of the Iowa Institution for
Feella Minded. says: "The strongest letters
NJ onuaal for admission Of inmates b. our in
sfitntion come from parents who have adj
4 fr IL rf.I r. Of
The future welfare of their children crowd
heayiyupon them. The mother OF an nnDe-
clio child /, one Of the most pitiable objects in
the world. for her burden OF helplessneas,
o1ief and care must increase with the pass
inc gears and % many an aged mother has
come the thought, WHO will care for and
guard my afflicted daughter in the futuref
.The very idea Of feeble child being with
ont suitable protection is painful not only
IN rorerts. but 10 all good citizens 1t IS not
only iustice TO the individual, but 70 the
etafe. that persons thus afflicted should have
the strong arm Of the commonwealth % shield
opl protect them. It is not enough that the
s,afe provide temporarily for this class Of un-
fortnnotes. il must be a life school aud home
for its inmates, thereby preventing the trans
mission OF nhrmities 10 still more de-
Graded progeny An Iowa legislative com
nittee ure.. the permanency Of the feeble
minded institution on the grounds Of public
s,fotv. believing that TO turn inmates out
with the possibilities Of reproducing their
Kind was q disregard Of law both human and
divine.
New York and Pennsylvania have already
taken advance steps in providing special and
r.rn,an.nt accommodations for unguarded
iiiotic females. Despite false political phi
losophv and hardness Of heart, the noble
movement IN behalf Of the permanent sup
mort of the wealri.nlei aud other dependent
CLASSES will eventually succeed and all such
delirgueni, VIII become the wards Of the gov
eminent. "lu the future says Dr. kerlin,
s.the correlation OF idiocy, insanity, pauper-
ism and crime Will be understood. There will
lac fewer ainshOuses and more workshops.
Jail-. criminal courts and grOgshOps viii cor
snondiurlv decrease, and here and there over
fine country may be the villages Of the
simple, made up Of the warped. twisted and
incorrieiblc. happily contributing to their
own ana the support Of thos more lowly-
.citie, of refuge in truth-hayens IN which
all shall live contentodly, because 40 longer
misunderstood nor taxed beyond their mental
and moral capacity. They shall 90 out no
more and they shall neither marry nor be
given in marriage in these Ravens dedicated
10 iucompetency."
was led to an investigation OF this ques-
ton OF public control and isolation Of the
mentally deformed class in particular by a
visit 10 the Iowa State Institution for Feeble
Minded Children located at GlenwoOd, where
$50 Of the most unfortunate Of human beings
are congrcgated, many Of them having been
rescued from the garbage heap Of society and
there trained in tue direction Of intelligence
and betternent.
Iowa was the seventh state in the Union to
organize an Institution for the education and
care Of this class Twenty states now recog